Bandsaw Resaw Setup

[Mike OMelia]

In FWW, Feb 2007, issue 189, p 41, there is a discussion about adjusting for blade drift. Essentially cut along a board freehand about halfway through the board, then stop. I assume the cut mimics the width of the resaw effort. Next, hold the piece in place and clamp the resaw guide up against this piece. BTW, the blade guide is raised high during this operation. Question is, how does this adjust for drift?

Mike

[Mark Singer]

The fence should be parallel to the freehand cut. This way the blade is coplane to the piece as it is fed. You can reduce the drift by moving the blade forward and backward on the tires. Sometimes it takes a bit of both

[Mike OMelia]

So doing the freehand cut gives you (automatically) the cutting characteristics of the saw? I think I get it now. My saw has crowned tires... so its centered, I believe.

Thanks.

Mike

[Mark Singer]

on crowned tires , moving the blade forward angles the cut to the right...say 1:00 . Moving it to the rear angles the cut to the left say 11:00 . so you can take out a lot of the drift

[Mike OMelia]

I HOPE this does not come off as a dumb question, but how does one move the blade on the tires?

Mike (yup, I am certain this is a dumb question that deserves a "RTFM" response, but please go easy onme!)

[Anthony Whitesell]

Mike...which saw do you have? For most saws, it has to do with the tracking adjustment on the top wheel. On the G0513x2, is the knob with the locking level on the back of the saw behind the tensioning wheel.

[Anthony Whitesell]

On the 14" saws, I believe the adjustment is just below the tensioning spring.

[Bill Huber]

I HOPE this does not come off as a dumb question, but how does one move the blade on the tires?

Mike (yup, I am certain this is a dumb question that deserves a "RTFM" response, but please go easy onme!)

It is just the tracking of the blade on the wheel.

These are not the best in the world but I think you can get the idea from them. the first is looking at both wheels and the upper wheel is move to change the tracking.

The other drawing is looking down on the blade as it comes off the wheel and you can see the way it would cut.


102149 102151

[Chris Schumann]

While we're at it, and while I'm looking at doing some resawing, does the drift depend on the stock thickness?

I can see a saw giving one drift angle for 3/4" pine, but another for 10" apple.

[Chip Lindley]

Every blade will lead left or right differently. This deviation must be found and accounted for to successfully resaw stock.

#1. I strive to get the blade to track on the tires consistently. Riding the center of the crown without drifting is my goal. Then the uppper/lower guides can be adjusted to the blade.

#2. As mentioned previously, a test board of the same thickness you will be resawing, should be cut along a pre-marked straight line. half way through a 24" board, you will see which way the blade tends to lead. The board will usually be angled left or right, rarely in a straight line. Set an auxillary fence to match this angle, and you will cut consistent thin veneers. The skewed fence need only be set to the width of cut. I have cut bundles of 1/16" oak veneer in this manner for refacing cabinets.

[Mike OMelia]

I have a Jet 18". Bill, thanks for the diagram... that completely made sense out of the issue. Chip, thanks for the detailed description of the fence set up. FWW article said the same thing (almost), but did it (I assume) believing most readers knew WHY he was doing it. Thanks to everybody for explaining this.

Mike

[James Biddle]

If the drift is caused by the angle of the blade on the crowned tire, compounded by the extra wear over time from the inside of the blade wearing more by having the cutting edge riding against said tire, would it be logical to assume that bandsaws that have a flat tire, and that allow the blade to overhang the front edge of the wheel so as to not wear the inside of the blade more then the outside, that one would not need to compensate for blade drift? Up till now, I was thinking that my new MM16 was just set correctly out of the crate, but is it possible that the upper-end bandsaws are designed and built well enough that drift is no longer a problem? I always had to adjust for drift on my last bandsaw, a Rikon 19" with crowned tires, but not with the new saw yet.

[Paul Atkins]

Bill, Great drawings for easily understanding tracking. It was one of those 'why didn't I think of that' moments. I have a PM87 which won't let you adjust the guides forward and backward so small blades and large blades track differently because the back of the blade is in the same place. The tires are pretty flat now so the difference is not too much but I've got some urethane ones ready to go on.

[Mike OMelia]

Paul, You should consider ordering new tires if the originals were crowned.

Mike

[Mike OMelia]

OK, I am ready to buy an excellent resaw blade. Most of my resaw heights will be 8-10". I want to take figured hardwoods and create book matched boards for guitar building. I would LOVE to be able to take a 4/4 board and actually get 4 boards out of it! (or more). Rake angle, TPI, etc. plz. I am guessing Lenox. My saw is 18", 3 hp at 220 volts (Jet). Thanks in advance.

So,

[Rick Fisher]

Mike, I buy my blades from a saw supply company in the next town.. They supply all the shop's and some sawmills.. I dont think they sell a fancy brand of blades but they are decent.

I just got a 3/4" x 178 1/2" blade from them for about $40.00 ish..

They dont stock anything. You call with the size and they cut and weld it for you.

The blades are just fine. When they go dull, I just order another..

My point is that you may not need to spend a bundle, just buy from a supplier is in the business of dealing with "pro's"..

[Alan Tolchinsky]

If the drift is caused by the angle of the blade on the crowned tire, compounded by the extra wear over time from the inside of the blade wearing more by having the cutting edge riding against said tire, would it be logical to assume that bandsaws that have a flat tire, and that allow the blade to overhang the front edge of the wheel so as to not wear the inside of the blade more then the outside, that one would not need to compensate for blade drift? Up till now, I was thinking that my new MM16 was just set correctly out of the crate, but is it possible that the upper-end bandsaws are designed and built well enough that drift is no longer a problem? I always had to adjust for drift on my last bandsaw, a Rikon 19" with crowned tires, but not with the new saw yet.

James, I think you just got lucky on the MM16. I have one and I've adjusted the fence for drift one time and that was it. One other variable with drift is the table. Mine is definitely off in the horizontal plane like it's rotated slightly right. If your table is rotated, that of course effects the fence relative to the blade. Guess what? My drift is similar to my table rotation. I've always wanted to rotate my table to correct this but it works so well I've left it alone.

[Rick Fisher]

Alan.. lol..

Thank you for that post. I never thought of that. I restored my saw and am quite sure when I put the table back on, I didnt triple check that...

My fence is off from the blade about 3 degrees and I keep thinking its the fence.. ................. doh!!

I am a dope sometimes.. lol